Cursed Beauty
by ReginaRiverMayHill
Summary: She had been okay before she had lost her magic. She had been able to walk, fly, play little tricks, but now she was confined to a chair in her palace in the mountains, waiting for her curse to play out. For a terrible misdeed had been done to her people long ago and this was her fixing it. SB or Maleficent re-write
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This was actually a school project (we got to do fanfiction on a fairytale for homework!) but then it grew and became this. Not my normal kind of story so any who's reading this because it's my you can go right ahead and skip this unless you like Maleficent. Now, the story . . . **

She had been okay before she had gotten sick and then turned crazy.

People had actually liked her before she turned a yellowy-gray pale and stick thin, her cheeks hollow and eyes haunting, not mentioning the fact that her eyes were yellow.

Her long raven hair was slipped into a loose braid that was getting thinner by the hour and her horns were growing faster. Every night she would have to file them down so they could hide under her dying hair.

People had always looked at her but it used to be because she was beautiful. Long sleek, shiny, thick, pure midnight black hair done in the latest fashion with her cheekbones and lips giving her the most uniquely beautiful look.

Her dresses used to bring out the colour of her eyes without making them look eerie without beautiful feather capes trailing behind her and her brown lace-up boots.

Heads turned, following the woman that was as beautiful and unique as her name, Maleficent.

Then she had fallen ill using all of her magic and it was that spoiled brats fault.

Aurora. The little girl she had to waste all her magic on.

But to understand why, we will have to go back a few hundred years . . .

Maleficent was part of a fairy clan. They lived in the most beautiful, richest, healthiest land, It was peaceful most of the time until King Cinder was crowned. He was a greedy king with greedy hands.

Cinder wanted those exquisite lands. He marched upon the fields bordering the two lands with many men, and many weapons, slaughtering all the unsuspecting fairies until they reached the Elder Tree, the gathering place for all the gentle fairies.

Maleficent was just a child then but that didn't stop her from watching as King Cinder's men chained her family up and dragged them to a pit.

She had tried to free them with her little hands of a 10 year old but they had shooed her away.

"Live your life Maleficent. Go. We will be fine" a also raven haired fairy had said to her.

"No Mama. I cannot. I will free you" she had whispered back, clutching at the chains.

"They're magic Maleficent. They're unbreakable" and she reached out to hold her daughter's hands.

"But I have magic Mama!" She exclaimed, once more hopeful. Her hands flickered with a green, purple, and yellow mist but her mother put it out.

"We love you Maleficent" whispered her mother and pushed her out of the pit. It errupted into flames, leaving Maleficent stumbling out of the explosion zone, gasping for a breath that wasn't full of smoke.

"Mama?"

It was that explosion that left mankind assuming the last of the fairies were gone. No one had known of the little fairy's existence and like her mother had told her to she went to go live her life. Maleficent's homeland was completly and utterly destroyed, leaving nothing but a dead piece of land and a King with many jewels to trade with.

Then 5 generations later a young woman, looking around 23 showed up.

Long, pure black hair, arched thin black eyebrows, red full lips, wide yellow eyes, pale skin, and prominent cheekbones, wearing only a simple black robe with a spiked collar.

She arrived, wet, at the door, demanding access as a princess of one of the northern lands, accompanied by a raven with yellow eyes and feathers a shade lighter than her hair.

She was smart, always looking at everyone with inquisitive stares as if she were reading them like an interesting book.

She was quiet too. Only speaking when addressed or providing insightful information out of the blue. Her voice started low, almost like a dare to interupt or contradict her and then it raised up, giving goosebumps to all who heard. The room would fall silent, she had some sort of commmanding power, like she was superior to everyone in the room even when she was in a appointment with King Stefan.

She could rarely be found. Always in her room or the library and yet it felt like she was always watching you. It was probably the bird. The sneaky raven with the yellow eyes, up in the rafters or perched on window sills, watching, waiting.

Many months after she arrived a meeting was called, adressing all of royal blood informing them of the expectant queen.

Many families from the East and the West arrived. Women wearing the newest dresses and their done up in the most expensive syles. Men fighting other men, organizing fights between the knights to prove their worthiness.

All of them hoping to catch a glimpse of the exquisite princess from the north.

But since the announcement of the royal baby she had holed herself up, only appearing on buisness with the King until one day.

Silence fell over the hall. Men watched her stride down the room, mouths hanging open, women sending her looks of jealousy.

She had her done up in a half bun with braids and curls falling from the jeweled knot, glinting with the light of the candles. Her lips as red as a poppy stood out from her flawless skin. A shadow of purple eyeshadow reached from her lashes to her eyebrows. Her long slender fingers were wrapped around a oak staff, embedded with yellow gems the same shade of her eyes.

Her dress had a deep, dark purple overskirt with a yellow-green underskirt with embroidered purple daisies. She wore a plain dark purple corset also embroidered with daisies. From her neck hung a green pendant in a black case, hanging from a black chain.

She walked with a commanding presence, her boots echoing across the hall. She leant heavily on her stick, almost as if she had an injury but she continued on.

Her was done up in a half bun with braids and curls falling from it. Black curls hovered gently over her back while the train was swept along. Some braids flew over her shoulder onto her front but she flicked them back.

Her sharp black eyebrows were raised, almost as if she were waiting for someone to confront over any matter. Her chin was raised, giving her the look of someone who was superior to all in the room and a hint of a smile was drawn across her mouth, like she knew almost all men would swear loyalty to her when faced with beauty.

She approached the main table where the King, the heavily pregnant Queen, and the Kings and Queens of the neighbouring kingdoms all sat. She stopped, standing in front of them.

"Your Majesties" she said, and one would think she was mocking them. She bowed her head, ever so slightly and gave a little curtsey.

"Princess Maleficent" they acknowledged her.

Whispers broke out across the hall. Many had suspected that this princess was a fairy but with no wings, horns, or magic she didn't make much of a fairy and all the fairies were dead.

Surprise and shock was written across Stefan and Leia's faces but at her voice they quickly snapped out of their trance and got to work, grabbing servants to set a place for her at the end of the table.

She walked over, slowly, and sat down at her setting, scanning the room. All eyes followed her to her spot and stayed on her until the king cleared his throat.

"I would like to thank you for coming to celebrate the upcoming birth of our child . . . " Stefan said but she stopped listening. Her eyes glazed over the numerous people, drowning out his speech with a rythmic drum of her fingers against the wooden table.

Her eyes rolled as he spoke, and then someone put her hand over hers. It was a motion slightly forceful and spoke that they were annoyed.

She slipped her hand out from underneath and turned to him, eyebrows raised. He looked back down at his plate. She smirked to herself and looked down at her plate too, for the food had arrived.

Once the meal was all done, the King made another speech, most likely as boring as the first but just like the first one she wasn't listening. Instead she was busy gently flirting with the man next to her.

He was tall, with a balding head and a crooked nose. His eyes were as blue as the ocean and round with thick brows leaning over his eyes.

Soon everyoone got up to go to their rooms and she purposely strode out of the room, turning back only once to smirk at the blue-eyed bald man. He followed her out through winding staircases and deserted hallways, their footsteps.

She walked slowly taking the little braids out, ducking into corners he had never noticed. Finally she stopped, standing in front of a wall, a tapestry of the Fairie's Lands hanging over the wall.

She spun around, smirking at the man and he seemed to shrink beneath her stare. Ever so slowly she walked around him, in a circle, like a predator with their prey. She stopped in front of him again, pulling her hair out of its bun.

He stared at her, enchanted by her until a loud caw rang out, making him jump. The raven flew onto her shouler and they both stared the man down.

"Princess?" He asked slowly, getting the feeling he was missing something.

"Do you know what I hate, Sir?" she asked him, mocking respect when she said Sir. She shivered when she spoke, taking a step back.

"I hate men. They can think of no one but themselves. Greedy, Filthy men. And guess what you are?" She taunted him and he stumbled backwards, trying to get away from her. She crept forwards, pulling a long finger out of her cloak towards him.

Suddenly he spun around and ran down the corridor, his shadow following him, eerily.

A green strand of mist shot out from her finger, grabbing and pulling him towards her, binding him in place. Fear shook his body and his eyes widened in horror and disbelief.

"You're, you're, you're a fairy!" He exclaimed and he laughed, tilting her head back, giving him goosebumps. It was a horrible and wonderful sound, filling someone with desperation, like the end of the world was coming and she was the only who could save them.

"Oh look Diaval. We have a smart one" she mocked him. Diaval crowed in response and she smirked even more. "Maybe my little beast" she smiled a the bird and they both turned their heads to him.

"You wanna know why I hate men? Because they don't see. They look but they don't see.

"The King Cider looked at my people's land and he wanted it so he killed all the fairies to get. He chained them up and burned them and I watched my mother and father die. Then he killed our lands for his precious gems. He couldn't see that there were fairies living there. It was our home and killed it with them. Then he left their ashes in a pit in the ground to be swept up with the rain. If all you men had just seen us their they wouldn't have died. So now I'm left to live a long life of secrecy. Everyone hates us for fighting back. We would've shared with you if you'd asked but instead you had to attack" she cried.

"What do you want with me?" He stuttered and she left out a laugh that was also half a wail. She turned to Diaval, her black hair flying over her shoulder.

"See Diaval! I tell our terrible tragic story and all he can think of himself" he shook her head, chastising him. "But he is a man" and they both turned their heads towards the trembling man.

"In answer to your stupid, useless question, I want to kill the royal heir and you're going to help me" and he blew a cloud of green mist at him. It tumbled through the air into his mouth, turning his blue eyes green for a moment.

His binding disapeared and he fell to the ground in a loud thump and pile of gardments. He spun around on her heel, her train and hair flying through the air, before dragging behind her as she strode out.

The baby was blonde with blue eyes and gorgous smile, apparently. She hadn't been invited to see the little child. King Stefan and Queen Leia had insisted that they didnt have time with all the other noble-men and women all trying to get visits in as well.

A knight had come to her door, eyes on the floor, red-faced telling her she wouldn't be able to see the child until the christening, only to recieve a letter telling they didn't have room for her at the christening. It had put quite the dent in her plan.

But that day was the day of the royal christening. She sat in her room as she had for the last month. Her hair was up in a bun between her now visible horns and she wore loose black robes with spiked purple collar. She sat at the window, watching people enter the grounds in their overly expensive clothes and accessories.

She heard the bells ringing, signifying the beginning of the ceremony. She took her bun out, wrapping her hair around her horns and creating a black, shiny wrap to cover her hair and wrap.

A mirror glinted over her shoulder and she whisked it over, smiling at her reflection.

A caw rang out and she smiled.

"Soon Diaval. Soon we will have my revenge" and with that she whipped the blinds shut.

She marched to her door, hesitating for a sliver of a second, an expression like guilt flashing upon her face, before opening the door and marching out.

She strode through the place, cleearing her path with her magic to those who didnt leap out of the way. Whispers started in the rooms she left that the Northern Princess had magic, that she was a fairy.

Finally she reached the main hall. Two guards stood at the doors, alert. Smirking she blew a light fog over to them. It flew into their mouths, putting them to sleep instantly and she came 'round the corner from her hiding place.

"BAHM!" The sound rang out, interupting the little pixies over the crib. Thunder crackled overhead and she let out a little laugh, bringing terror to many faces. "How fitting" she thought.

She observed the many faces sitting there, musing out loud.

"Well, quite the glittering ensemble here, Stefan. Royalty, nobility, the gentry, and how quaint, pixies!" The king sat frozen in his throne. Shock was painted on both his and the Queen's face, and it was the Queen who spoke first.

"Maleficent?" She whispered and Maleficent smiled.

"Ah yes, my true colours finally revealed. Now back to the point. I was quite distressed at not recieving an invitiation" she pouted, mocking the fear of the others.

"You weren't wanted" one of the pixies piped up and Maleficent rolled her eyes.

"Oh zip it pixie. You didn't even know I was a fairy until now" she shot back turning away from the pixies. They crossed their little arms and flew in front of the infant.

Maleficent turned to face the King and Queen.

"What do you want Maleficent?" King Stefan spat and Maleficent's face brightened, as if she had been waiting for someone to say that. A grin lit up her fcae and she tilited her head, making her look like a pyschopath.

"I want to tell you a story" she trailed off looking 'round at all of the people there.

Once she had all of their attention she started.

"Once upon a time there was a girl. She lived with her family and friends in these beautiful lands full of happy, healthy plants and many animals. They lived with the land, not on it. Then one day many soldiers came. They destroyed her land, hurt and imprisoned her family. She managed to escape, leaving her alone in the world. For 350 years she traveled the world, finding somewhere to belong but everywhere she went fairies weren't welcome since the battle that had left her alone. So she left every place she came, to try somewhere else. The only company she had was her bird. Finally she heard knews of the kingdom that had destroyed her and she began to plan her revenge. She filed down her horns until they were gone and she spent two years in the north, learning their ways. The she came here, undercover for 2 more years until she could seek revenge on the child of those who had ruined her childhood"

The pixies stared, open-mouthed at her, along with everyone else. Maleficent sighed dramatically.

"No Maleficent! Don't hurt an innocent child! Oh very well. I shall just take my leave" Maleficent cried out, sarcastically, throwing one pale hand over heart in mock pain.

Queen Leia jumped up with her husband, running over to the child and Maleficent cackled.

"Thats what I'm talking about! But I think I would still like to curse her. Sorry!" She said cheerily and glided over to the infant.

"On her 16th birthday she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die!" Her curse rang out in the hallway and Queen Leia ran over to her baby, clutching her to her chest.

Cackling, she swept out of the hall through the door to who knows where. The King and Queen turned to the third pixie in despair.

"Can you reverse the curse?" They asked her and she looked down guiltily.

"I cannot reverse it but I may be able to change it" she whispered. And so Aurora was not destined to death after all. On her sixteenth birthday she would fall into a sleep like death that she can only be woken from with true love's kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N This wasn't supposed to be 2 parts, this part just got cut off so to anyone who is following this, here's part 2**

And the story continues as you know it does. Aurora is brought to a little cottage to live with the pixies until she is 16. On her sixteenth birthday is where our story starts once more.

Because Maleficent is sick. Her magic is gone. And her magic was her life force. When she cursed Aurora, she used almost all of her magic. So now she's dying.

Or she was. She was until Diaval came with the wonderful news. Aurora was returning.

If she was going to die, she would like to see her revenge full-filled.

She stood in front of a mirror, wrapping her hair around her horns. She wanted to like a real fairy. To honour the memory of the people she did this for.

She wore a long black robe, the same one she wore when she cursed the child. They give the illusion of wings, wings she once had before she cut them off, to belong with this society.

Diaval landed on her arm and she smiled at him. Using the last of her magic, she transformed into a raven, just like Diaval only with horns.

Together they flew in the cold chilly air to the castle, full of happy peasants, to the highest tower and landed, in the shadows cast by the light of the full moon.

She transformed into the fairy that she truly was, collapsing against the wall from the shock of losing almost all of the magic.

Diaval cawed in worry but she glared at him.

"I have enough magic left to disappear after this. To return to the Forbidden Mountain forever" she whispered weakly and turned her head to see the green ball of her curse leading a bewitched Aurora up the stairs.

Aurora hesitated and Maleficent heard the silly little pixies coming up the many stairs.

"Touch the spindle. Touch it I say!" Maleficent commanded and Aurora reached out, pricking her finger on the spindle.

With a cry of victory Maleficent leapt up, in front of the fallen princess, turning to face the flying pixies.

"You poor simple fools. Thinking you could defeat me? Me? The mistress of all evil! Well, here's your precious princess" and Maleficent swept aside her cloak, revealing the sleeping Aurora, stumbling from her lack of strength.

The littlest pixie, a short, squat, brunette, turned angrily towards Maleficent, her wand waving, her mouth muttering some form of spell.

Maleficent's eyes widened and she disappeared, back to the Forbidden Mountain.

She collapsed in her chair, panting heavily. Diaval flew onto the arm rest. She tried to reach up and stroke him, but she was too weak.

"I don't have long left. I'll be gone any moment now" she whispered slowly, heaving after every word. "But I did it, didn't I? I finally cursed them?" she asked so childishly. She looked scared and vulnerable and Diaval cawed in a positive result.

She fell back against the seat, frail, tired, pale, and sad. Her eyes fluttered close, but it was only for a moment, because soon she jumped up, gasping.

"No!" she yelled, cursing the skies above.

Her hands started to glow with a green mist. Her magic had returned which meant Aurora had awoken.

Her fury was transforming her. Her black robes began to melt into her, creating a black scaly skin and arms became wings. Changes erupted from her, scaring the raven off the chair.

A dragon roared, fire blasting from its mouth. With an evil glint in its eye, it headed towards the castle where Aurora and her true love celebrated.

The battle was a great and terrible one, with only one casualty - a fairy, who had fought as a dragon, desperately trying to defeat the descendants of the men who had destroyed her race.

But even this purple and black scaled dragon couldn't defeat hundreds of men, just like her family before her.

And on a cliff, outside of King Stefan's castle, the mighty fairy fell. If battles could be called glorious, then this battle certainly was. Flaming arrows, walls of thorns, and that fatal flying sword.

She had fallen off the cliff, the sword embedded in her chest, transforming into the true dark fairy she was.

She had died next to Diaval, stroking the feathers over his back that had brought her much comfort over her years of solitude. Tears of failure staining her cheeks making her unique yellow eyes red and puffy.

People had come to fetch body, bringing it to the King and Queen. She had been given a proper fairy burial, cremation. Only 4 had attended the royal family and Philip, the one who had defeated her in the end.

Year's later legends would be told of the evil fairy Maleficent who had cursed the poor Aurora, by the servants of the palace. They would tell of her Palace in the mountains where she had servants of trolls, by those who had wanted to serve her. Of her scary appearance, by those who had fallen in love with her beauty.

And so many years later, the final story came to you, the one of Sleeping Beauty while the true one lay buried, as ashes in the ground, of a beautiful dark fairy and a cursed beauty.


End file.
